VOL.
XLVIII November/December 1965 No. 6
Pastor Russell's Out-of-Print Writings The Proclamation of Peace"To proclaim the year
of Jehovah's Favor." - Isaiah 61:2, ASV. AND
THERE were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch
by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the
angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign
unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a
manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying,
It
was the most extraordinary proclamation ever directed to mankind. It
was truly ecumenical -- worldwide -- in its application -- "To all people," the herald said. It
was completely unselfish. There was in it nothing whatever of solicitation, or
return consideration, or of demand or threat. It was all of kindness, of
helpfulness; of bestowal, of good will. "Good tidings of great joy." It
promised a Savior -- a savior without limitation, from whatever mankind
suffered or feared. "Fear not." It
bore its own evidence of its authenticity. The obvious superiority of its
herald to earthly beings or methods stamped it immediately and indubitably as
genuine. The herald angel offered a further sign of his prophetic authority: "Ye shall find a, babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger." It is difficult for a
Gentile to realize the shock to Jewish minds and expectations that such an
announcement would bring. The Messiah, the anointed Lord sent by Jehovah, to
come as a babe born in a stable, cradled in a manger! Impossible! It is so
incongruous that the very thought has been "a stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense" to the vast majority of the Babe's own Jewish kinsmen,
for nearly two thousand years. However,
it was a sign that the simple Judean shepherds could understand and verify,
which they promptly did. Nothing apparently was said to them about the much
greater sign -- the birth of the Babe to a virgin, without human father; thus
setting aside by divine fiat a previously immutable law of procreation. This Sign is as incredible to a
modern, scientific and "rationalistic" world, as were the extraordinary
outward signs which accompanied his birth, to his contemporaries. The
Proclamation was concluded by a display of "the heavenly host" such
as earth had never seen. The language of the Record is such as to place no
limit upon the imagination in picturing it. What regiments, what brigades, what
armies, what cohorts of angelic cavalry were on parade! What iridescent showers
of light from their bright uniforms and weapons and decorations! What exquisite
music accompanied their assembly And
this brilliant display came to hail Peace and the Prince of Peace; to offer a
truce in the age-lasting warfare against Evil which had cost all men their
lives; to announce an "acceptable year of Jehovah's Favor" to all
"men of good will" (as the three most ancient MSS. record it).
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" - but for "men
of good will,"
God now
publishes that he has "devised means that he that is banished be not an
outcast from him." So
all men of Good Will celebrate at Christmas the annual Festival of God's
Amnesty -- with songs and praise to God and to his Son, and with gifts as each
is able in imitation of the Great Gift, particularly where no obligation lies
and where no return may be expected. - 2 Corinthians 9:15; Luke 14:12-14;
Matthew 25:34-40.
- H. E. Hollister. Thanksgiving"It is a good thing to
give thanks unto the Lord." - Psalm 92:1. "It
is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord." - Psa. 92:1. So said one in
olden times and truthfully, since it must be recognized that it is from our God
that all our blessings flow. God's
typical people Israel were educated in this most important exercise, and to
this end there was instituted a feast of celebration called the Feast of
Tabernacles, as recorded in Lev. 23:34-43, during which time the children of
Israel were to recall the events associated with their great deliverance out of
Egypt. Three
thousand years later when the colonists had gained a foothold in what was to be
known as New England, and after a grueling experience with disease, death and
a rigorous climate, a bounteous harvest gave them renewed hope and courage to
continue the work they had begun in the New World. They, therefore, felt
constrained to express their gratitude to God. Subsequently a special day was
appointed by the Governor of the State for this purpose. Later, by
proclamation of the President of the United States, it was designated a
national holiday, so that the nation might have opportunity to pause and
reflect upon the many causes for gratitude so obvious on every hand. Our
thoughts, however, must transcend the gratitude only for temporal blessings,
for these are but a small portion of the blessedness that comes to those who
have tasted the Word of Life, and by it have found access to the presence of
the great Creator, our Heavenly Father. We
will, therefore, examine some expressions of the Apostle Paul found in his
letters to various ecclesias. They reveal what to Paul were the most important
reasons for thanksgiving, and occupied a place at the beginning of his letters
to the churches at Rome, Corinth, Philippi and Thessalonica. In each of these
ecclesias Paul finds occasion for thanksgiving not for temporal things but
rather for the evidences of Christian growth. TO THE ECCLESIA AT ROMEIn
his message to the company of God's people at Rome, thanksgiving immediately
follows the introduction in the epistle considered the most logical and
profound summation of the Christian faith and practice. "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you
all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the world. . . without ceasing I
make mention of you always in my prayers." - Rom. 1:8, 9. How
fitting that the beloved Apostle should thus speak, he who is at this point
laboring so effectively toward the strengthening of their faith, for in this
very letter he is to add immeasurably to their comprehension of the most
important aspect of a vital relationship to God. "For without faith it is
impossible to please God." - Heb. 11:6. Doubtless
the Apostle realized that he had an effective point of contact in this his
endeavor to enrich and stimulate their growth in this faith. Translating this
into our own Christian experience we, like Paul, find a deep sense of
gratitude for the faith which led us to accept the provision for salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ, as is so well set forth by the Apostle in his
letter to the Church at Rome. How
thankful we should be for faith, our great stabilizer in a dark and chaotic world; faith that can lay
hold of the many precious promises given for our comfort in God's Word!
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psa. 46:1.) "All things work together for good to those who love God and
are called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8 :28.) "Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." (Isa. 26:3.) "Lo,
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age." (Matt. 28:20.)
"My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest." (Ex.
33:14.) These, and many more too numerous to cite, are a continuing source of
encouragement to the one who exercises faith in the inspired Word. No doubt the
Apostle had such a faith in abundance and rejoiced with thanksgiving at the
thought of God's saints in Rome enjoying the same blessed privilege. Further
benefits which are contingent upon faith are set forth by Paul in the fifth
chapter of this epistle, and are listed in a logical sequence of Christian
experience. He writes "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand. " (Rom. 5:1, 2.) Coupled with this is a
wonderful hope, a new and vitalizing experience, in which even tribulation is
utilized as a stepping stone toward the realization of this hope. Who but our
God and heavenly Father could institute such a program? Who but He could
provide the means of grace by which it could be carried out and consummated in
glory? As we think about it in its true perspective we are indeed thankful
beyond expression. TO THE ECCLESIA AT CORINTH"Grace
be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for
the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in everything ye are
enriched by him in all utterance and all knowledge." - 1 Cor. 1:3-5. What
an appropriate salutation for the Church at Corinth beset as it was by strife
and division! Here Paul found an evidence of carnality manifesting itself in
following and exalting human leaders rather than the one true Leader, the One
who had died for them, even Jesus Christ. In his prayer of thanksgiving, Paul
reminds them of this grace which had been given them through Jesus Christ, as
if to direct their minds away from their own petty differences and toward God
the source of all their blessings, and also to the great sacrifice which Jesus
had made on their behalf. The Apostle was thankful also that having come into
this vital relationship with God and the Lord Jesus, they could experience an
enrichment in their lives, such as they had never known -- "being
enriched by Him in every word and in all knowledge." What
a privilege to have every word enriched by One who himself spoke as never man
spake, who spoke with authority and not as the scribes, who spoke only the
words he received from the Father. "The words that I speak, they are
spirit and they are life." (John 6:63.) Applying these lessons to ourselves,
we would do well to heed the admonitions in the Word on this most important
part of Christian living, e. g., "Let your speech be always with grace,
seasoned with salt." (Col. 4:6.) "Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
- Col. 3:16. Usefulness
in the Lord's service can be greatly enhanced if our words being enriched by
him conform to the pattern seen in the Master himself. For it was said of him
that "men wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his
mouth." (Luke 4:22.) Thus indeed is this a cause for thanksgiving, and the
more so when the knowledge too has this same mark of Divine favor. For to be
enriched by him in all knowledge indicates a close and abiding union with him
"In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col.
2:3.) How thankful we are that the one who penned these words had this blessing
in his own life! His rich and fruitful ministry bears the unmistakable stamp
of an enrichment which could come from none other than the Lord he so ardently
served. TO THE ECCLESIA AT PHILIPPI"I
thank my God in
all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making
my prayer with joy, thankful for your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now." - Phil. 1:35. Paul's
thankfulness and rejoicing was not only because some at Philippi had received
the gospel and had been converted, but that they were giving unmistakable
evidence of it in their willingness to share in the responsibility of
proclaiming it. There was a fellowship of participation in the cost, be what
it may. These
brethren at Philippi wanted others to hear- the "Good News" that had
brightened their own lives and were generous in their support of the Apostle in
his mission of proclaiming it. They were willing to share in the sacrifices
entailed in this most noble work. This, to the Apostle, was an evidence that
they were also participating in the blessings of a personal fellowship with
the Master, the story of whose love and life had wrought the change in them. Memories
of his experiences at Philippi were occasions for joyfulness despite the
sufferings he endured during his brief stay in that city. The friends at
Philippi occupied a special place in the affections of Paul. The love and
hospitality extended to him while in their midst doubtless helped to mitigate the sufferings which befell him during the early days of his ministry
there. Their loving interest in Paul and his missionary work followed him to
other places and came to be a source of encouragement and strength in his
efforts elsewhere, and particularly in Rome from where this epistle was
written while he was a prisoner in that city. Memories
of these brethren were cause for thanksgiving, and drew from the Apostle a
singular compliment. "My brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and
crown." (Phil. 4:1.) No criticism or rebuke for these loyal co-workers;
just a message of love, encouragement, and a prayer to God on their behalf
laden with thankfulness. TO THE ECCLESIA AT THESSALONICA"We
are bound to give thanks to God always concerning you brethren as it is proper,
because your faith is growing exceedingly, and the love of each one of you all
is abounding towards each other." - 2 Thess. 1:3. Evidence
of Christian growth was such among these brethren that Paul not only gave
thanks to God for it, but also boasted about it among the other congregations
of God. Persecutions and afflictions were besetting the pathway of these at
Thessalonica; nevertheless, they were by patience and faith making the best
use of such experiences. Hardship caused them to draw closer to each other in
an abounding love. Their faith too was growing exceedingly and this was a
source of joy to the one who in abundant faith had labored among- them,
bringing them hope which they had never known before, and an experience in
joyful living that no heathen religion could ever bring. This Christian growth
was to Paul a cause for thanksgiving. The
passing centuries have not altered these principles as they touch the lives of
those privileged to hear and to receive the gospel message, and who heed the
invitation to follow in the footsteps of our blessed Lord. Growth in these
points as well as in others is still
an occasion for joy and thankfulness, even as it was to the Apostle Paul. Some
may say, What is there to be thankful for since these are dark and foreboding
days for the poor groaning creation? The events of each day offer little for
encouragement and thankfulness. The spirit of anarchy continues to increase on
every hand, standards of morality are breaking down, ominous clouds of war hang
on the horizon. Nevertheless,
this year as in the past, a day will be set aside by proclamation of the
President of our country, to give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings in
temporal things which abound on every hand, for in this respect we are indeed
blessed. However, our gratitude will indeed be incomplete if we confine it to
the things which are seen and temporal. We who know the Lord, who love him, and
are called according to his purpose, find an ever expanding reason for
gratitude, especially for the knowledge and appreciation of the unseen things,
the spiritual things, which are eternal. We, therefore, can join our hearts in
thanksgiving for those same. things which so moved the beloved Apostle Paul, in
his epistles to the people of God in his day. "Make
a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come
before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he
that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of
his pasture. "Enter
into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful
unto him, and bless his name; For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and 'his truth endureth to all generations." - Psa. 100. -
J. B. Webster. "Jesus Died and Paid It All"THE
ransom of our race by our Savior is a matter of deep interest to the Lord's
people, and one which apparently is very difficult to understand clearly. We
view the subject from different standpoints. All see the same thing, but all do
not see the details. God
might have told us that he had arranged a way by which justice and the dignity
of his court of the universe could be upheld and man nevertheless be released
from the sentence of death imposed upon him six thousand years ago. There was
no need of His telling us anything about the ransom. It would have been
sufficient for us that God should have told us that he had attended to the
matter properly. But instead, God reasons with us in the Scriptures, and there
explains the process of his government by which he could be just and yet be the
justifier of sinners. This process which God had all to do with and man had
nothing to do with is scripturally styled the Ransom -- the giving of the
perfect life of Jesus to be the full, complete offset for the forfeited life
of Adam, the father of our race. From
this viewpoint, if one went no further into the matter, one might say,
"Jesus has died and the world has been ransomed" -- just as the
Scriptures speak of Jesus, even when he was in the flesh, as being the Messiah,
the King of glory. Even when he was a babe the angels sang, " Unto you is
born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ [Messiah] the
Lord." Their statements included not only the babe and what had already
been accomplished in his birth, but all the great work which he would do in
the future. As a matter of fact, the babe was merely called a Savior because
he would in the future save his people from their sins. The babe was merely
called the Anointed Messiah -- because it was foreseen of God that he would make a
consecration at Jordan, be begotten and anointed of the holy spirit, finish his
work of sacrifice and be exalted to heavenly glory, not only during this age,
for the Church which is his body, but also for the willing and obedient of the
world of mankind during the Millennium. Thus we see that the babe was not the
Savior except in the prophetic sense that he was to be the Savior. He
was not king except in the sense that he was born and came into the world to
that end. He was not the deliverer then, nor has he even yet delivered all his
Church; whereas, after the deliverance of the Church, comes the deliverance of
the world from the reign of sin and death. Similarly
the word ransom may be, and often is, used by us all in a prophetic sense -- as
including the entire work of Redemption down to the very end of the Millennial
Age; as we read, "I will ransom [deliver by a ransom] them from the
grave." - Hosea 13:14. LEGAL PHASE OF RANSOMING WORKBut
as we come close to the various questions and analyze them, we see new
beauties, new divisions of matters, which at first seem to be indivisible. We
see, for instance, that the first step toward ransoming the world was taken
when the Logos left the glory which he had with the Father and humbled himself
to become the Man Jesus. The first feature in the ransoming work was our
Master's consecration of himself at Jordan, followed by his life of devotion
even unto death. The completion of his sacrifice was the completion of the ransom-price,
but it was not the completion of the ransom work. Indeed, the ransomwork
could not even begin until the ransom-price had been provided --not paid. We
sometimes have spoken of Jesus as having paid the ransom when he died, but
such expression was not accurate. The price of obedience to the Father's
will was death, and our Lord's death constitutes the price. In one sense
Jesus paid it when he surrendered his life; but in another and more accurate
sense, he did not pay it, but merely placed it in the hands of the
Father as the price to be appropriated, or made applicable later. The
ransom-price has been in the hands of divine Justice--in the Father's
hands--ever since Jesus died, but only as a deposit, because the time had not come for it to be paid over officially.
If the Divine Plan had been for Jesus to take possession of the world and to
set up his kingdom at Pentecost, then it would have been proper for him to have
paid over to the Father the ransom price fully and completely -- appropriating
it as the offset to Father Adam's sin and sentence on behalf of all his race.
But had that price been formally paid over, the proper and logical thing would
have been for the Father to put the whole world immediately into the hands of
Jesus, and for the Millennial reign to begin. RANSOM PRICE DEPOSITED WITH DIVINE JUSTICEThere
was, however, another feature to the Divine Plan: God did not wish to turn
over the Kingdom to Jesus until the great Seventh Day, the Millennium. He did
wish that during the intervening more than eighteen centuries a Church class
should be called out from amongst the world, to be the Bride and Joint-heir of
his Son in the Kingdom. Hence the ransom-price for the sins of the whole world
were merely left unappropriated, while Jesus dealt with the Church. And
since the Father's plan for the Church was that they should sacrifice or
surrender their earthly interests and receive, instead, heavenly interests and
the divine nature, therefore it was not necessary to give the Church
restitution - the thing which the ransom-price will secure for the world of
mankind. Hence, instead of giving the Church a direct share in the
ransom-price, which would mean restitution, the Lord's provision for them is
different; namely, an imputation of merit covering their blemishes, so
that they might present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable
to God. All,
therefore, that Jesus has done with the ransom-price is to impute a
share of that price as covering the shortcomings of those who desire to become
his disciples and joint-heirs. He has not appropriated it to them actually, as
in restitution, but by imputation -- justifying them from all sin, and thus
permitting them to be accepted of the Father as members of the house of sons
by the begetting of the holy spirit. And
how beautiful is the thought that, when shortly our Lord will pay over the
ransom-price for the sins of the whole world, and have the world immediately
turned over to him for restitution work, the Church will be with him in glory
sharing his honor and his throne, as now they share in his sufferings and his
ignominy! PRACTICAL PHASES OF RANSOMING WORKWhen
the ransom-price shall then have been given to justice in exchange for the
world of mankind, and when the purchased world of mankind shall have been
turned over to the Purchaser, the legal phase of the ransoming work of Jesus
and the satisfaction of Justice in the release of mankind from the penalty of
death will be complete. Then, however, another part of the ransoming will begin
and will operate; namely, the giving of the benefits of the ransom to Adam and
his family. This phase of the ransomwork will continue for the thousand years
of Messiah's Kingdom, bringing restitution to man and his earthly home -- to
all the willing and obedient of Adam's race--the unwilling being destroyed in
the Second Death. Then
the Redeemer will have completed his work of ransoming the human family in its
two phases First, its legal phase, the satisfaction of divine Justice by the
giving of a life for a life; second, its
practical phase, the restoring or recovering or delivering of the redeemed
from the bondage of sin and death to the liberty of the sons of God. -Romans
8:21. -
Reprints R5890. Annual Report of Directors"Who hath despised the
day of small
things?"
- Zechariah 4:10. THE
BRETHREN whom you elected to office last year, have already rendered their
account to the Lord, and now they submit to you this report of their
stewardship. THE HERALDProminent
among the several branches of the Institute's ministry is that of our
Encouraging
reports reach us
that the Herald continues to be used of the
Lord for the spiritual comfort and strength of the brethren. While each month
finds us listing the names of those "Recently Deceased," our
subscription list does not grow less. At April 30 of this year it totaled 5,667
and, while our list in foreign lands has never been large, it is a pleasure to
report that, in addition to those in the United States, Canada, England,
Scotland, Wales, North Ireland, Eire, Australia and New Zealand, we have a few
subscribers in Africa, Argentina, the Congo, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany,
Greece, Holland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Puerto Rico,
Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey and the West Indies. May the
Lord continue to enable our Editors to furnish "meat in due season"
for these widely scattered readers in these troublous times. For
the benefit of brethren able and willing to contribute to the pages of our
Journal, we take this opportunity to again remind such that articles sent us
should be typed double space on one side only of 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. Our Editors
tell us that short articles, from seven to ten pages, are, preferred. Furthermore,
while they are glad to receive any articles having to do with those things that
pertain to life and godliness, there is presently a shortage of articles on
such regularly recurring seasonal subjects as (1) New Year, (2) Memorial, (3)
Resurrection, (4) Whitsuntide, (5) Liberty, (6) Thanksgiving, (7) Christmas. THE PILGRIM MINISTRY"Feed
my sheep" -- thrice did the Master indicate this as the way in which the
Apostle Peter was to prove the existence of the love for the Master which he
claimed to possess. And faithfully he carried out his commission. This has
been the keynote of our own Pilgrim ministry "through the years," and
not less so in the year just ended. Our
four full-time Pilgrims, Brothers F. A. Essler, A. L. Muir, J. T. Read and P.
E. Thomson, have just completed extended trips through Canada and the United
States. From every quarter word comes that their services continue to prove
most edifying and spiritually uplifting. On their part, they assure us that
the gain is not at all one-sided but, as it is written, so they have found,
"He that watereth shall be watered also himself." - Prov. 11:25. Besides
these four full-time Pilgrims, a number of others have served on week-ends.
Additionally, our Institute is often called upon to send brethren to conduct
funerals. Only the bereaved know what it means to have a consecrated brother,
possessed of the necessary ability, declare clearly, considerately, and
courageously, our resurrection hopes. Letters in our files tell of the strength
and spiritual uplift their services have brought. Brother
A. L. Muir, as all know, was able to accept an invitation from the British
brethren to spend last summer with them. His trip not only confirmed their
faith and consecration, but contributed also to strengthening "the ties
that bind" us to our overseas brethren. HELPS TO BIBLE STUDYOccasionally
new subscribers write us for particulars as to any courses of Bible study
offered by our Institute. After informing them that we do not offer any residence
courses, we invariably counsel all such inquirers that, before they consider
any other method of study, they read and study the Bible itself. Foremost
amongst the helps to its study we continue to rank The Divine Plan of the
Ages. As
our older readers know, this able work furnishes satisfactory proof that the
Bible is a revelation from God; that it discloses what God's plan for mankind
is; and shows it to be in full harmony with the principles of wisdom, justice
and love. In
brief, it shows that God's plan is to select and save the Church during the
Gospel Age, the Age now nearly ended, and then to use the Church to bless
Israel, and through Israel the remainder of mankind, during the next Age -- the
Millennium. Brother
Streeter's volumes on The Revelation continue in steady demand, and
readers write us telling of the blessings experienced as they study and
meditate therein. When
Brother Streeter wrote this work, it was far from his thought, nor is it the
claim of our Institute, that. this two-volume exposition contains all that may
be said on the Apocalypse, or that all of its interpretations are absolutely
correct, or that it is a final exposition. The same is true of his other
valuable Bible study help, "Daniel, the Beloved of Jehovah." However,
though perfection is not claimed for these works, nor that they are the last
word on the subjects treated, yet it was the Author's conviction, a conviction
shared by the publishers, that whatever alterations or additions may be needed
(on account of the present rapidly changing scenes in connection with the
fulfillment of the closing visions of the Apocalypse), they will be in full
harmony with the Historical School -- the "old path" -- of
Apocalyptic interpretation. WITNESSING TO THE PUBLICSome
of the brethren may feel that the time for witnessing to the public is in the
past. This does not seem so to us. Indeed, in our report last year we said that
opportunities for witnessing to the public, far from diminishing, appear to be
increasing. This is even more true today. From every quarter the Macedonian
cry reaches us: "Come over and help us." As
in the days of our Lord's first advent, we read that all men were in
expectation of the Messiah (Luke 3:15), so now, at the close of the Gospel Age
and the dawn of the new dispensation, a similar spirit of inquiry and
expectation seems to be abroad. Because
of this, we are disposed to increase, rather than diminish, our labors in this
direction. Our eighteen booklets continue to be widely circulated. Others are
in preparation, and will be issued as soon as pressure of other matters
permits. No!-we
do not expect to convert the world. But who knows whether or not a true grain
of wheat, or two, or three, may yet be found? "In the morning sow thy
seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou knowest not whether
shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike
good." - Eccl. 11:6. CORRESPONDENCEAs
in prior years, the various branches of the ministry mentioned foregoing, are supplemented
by correspondence. The nature of the correspondence varies. Some are brief
words of appreciation, in connection with the transmission of orders for
literature, "Herald" subscriptions, etc. Some request further explanation
of a difficult passage of Scripture; or ask questions in regard to one or
another feature of the ministry. Others, again, are of general fellowship,
sometimes relating to Christian experiences of both joy and sorrow; others
asking for counsel in connection with some deep perplexity or crucial trial. These
messages are all most welcome, even though we are not always able to give as
extended or as prompt replies as we could wish. Moreover, such fellowship
through the mails is mutually profitable, and often serves as a guide to our
Editorial Committee in the preparation of articles for publication in the Herald dealing with the questions,
problems and issues which are very evidently uppermost in the minds of the
brethren who write. MEMBERSHIPMembership
in the Pastoral Bible Institute is, and always has been, open to any
consecrated brother or sister who "is in full harmony with the purpose,
spirit, and policy of the Institute," and who intends to support it
"in all reasonable ways as he or she shall deem to be the Lord's will.'' This
being true, it is particularly gratifying to note that during the year just
ended, 14 more brethren applied for, and were granted, membership. To these,
on behalf of the directors, and of the entire membership, we extend a hearty
welcome in the name of the Lord. We feel sure, brethren, that your association
with us will be mutually profitable, and trust that the continued favor of the
Lord will be with us all, as we labor together in the ministry. Your
brethren in the Master's service, Board
of Directors The Annual MeetingThe
forty-seventh Annual Meeting of the members of the Pastoral Bible Institute,
Inc., was held on Saturday, September 18, at 10:00 a.m. in the Central Y.M.C.A., 1315 Pacific Avenue, Atlantic City, New Jersey. After
the customary devotions, Brother J. C. Jordan was elected chairman of the
meeting, and Brother P. L. Read, secretary. Next
followed the reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting,
held June 6, 1964. The
annual report of the Directors, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1965, was
then presented. This, including the Treasurer's Financial Statements, is
published on pages 87-89. The
names of recently deceased members were next read--also of those brethren who
had become members of the Institute during the previous year; after which the
meeting proceeded with the election of a new Board. Brothers John Dawson and
Charles M. Glass were appointed to act as tellers. While they were counting
the votes, the rest of the friends heard an interesting report from Brother A.
L. Muir of his recent pilgrim trip in the British Isles; and enjoyed a season
of fellowship in praise, prayer, and testimony. At the conclusion of the count,
the names of the following brethren were announced as elected: F. A. Essler, J.
C. Jordan, A. L. Muir, J. T. Read, P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman and P. E.
Thomson. A
devotional service concluded the meeting. Immediately
following the Annual Meeting, the new Board met. Among other actions taken,
they elected officers as follows: J. C. Jordan, Chairman; F. A. Essler,
ViceChairman;
P. L. Read, SecretaryTreasurer; W. J. Siekman, Assistant Secretary; A. L.
Muir, Assistant Treasurer; A. Gonczewski, L. Petran, P. L. Read, W. J. Siekman, J. B. Webster, Editorial Committee. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, FISCAL YEAR ENDED APRIL 30,1965 (1) Balance Sheet as of April
30, 1965 Assets Cash in Bank $ 6,897.20 (2)
Statement of Income and Expense and Analysis of Net Worth Fiscal
Year Ended April 30, 1965 Income Contributions $ 9,076.44 Operating
Expense Pilgrim Expense $ 7,639.10 Net Expense for Fiscal Year Ended Net Worth, May 1, 1964 .
19,263.66 Net Worth, April 30, 1965 Ministry of the WordAs
announced in the May-June Herald of this year, arrangements were under way for
a visit to the British Isles to serve the brethren there during the months of
July and August, 1965. Under the overruling providences of our heavenly Father
and the active blessings of our dear Redeemer, this special ministry has been
completed and this is a report thereon. This
ministry was entered upon with a deep sense of one's own inadequacy and that
it could be successful only through the grace and blessing of our dear Lord. In
preparing for this privileged service we reflected on the fact that the Word of
the Lord, full as it is of wisdom and counsel, cannot profit even the professed
Christian who does not in a meek and prayerful spirit come to its pages for
instruction. Nor does it profit the careless reader who fails to meditate upon
its precepts, or who only occasionally looks into the perfect law of liberty.
(James 1:22-24.) They who can truly say "Thy words were found, and I did
eat them: and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart";
"My delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law do I meditate day
and night; I meditate also of all thy work, O Lord, and talk of thy doings; I
meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways: I delight myself in
thy statutes, I do not forget thy word;" (Jer. 15:16; Psa. 1:2; 77:12;
119:15-16.) Such, only, are ordering their steps aright by taking heed to the
word of the Lord. The
young Christian may mark well the counsel of wisdom and take heed to his course
according to the Word of the Lord. It will answer all questions of right and
duty; and let him study how the perfect law of God, the law of love, applies to
all the conditions and circumstances of his daily life, associations and obligations.
In so doing there cannot fail to be a steady growth in grace and the fruits of
the spirit will not be lacking. It is equally right and necessary to meditate
upon and heed the Word to the very end of our days. What a pattern of godliness
does every aged saint present when the hoary head is crowned with the beauty of
holiness, when a long life of self-denial and self-discipline gives a practical
demonstration of the power of Divine grace to overcome the downward tendencies
of our fallen nature! What a pattern should the aged Christian be of patient
self-forgetfulness, of loving sympathy and gentle forbearance; able to give
kindly counsel and timely assistance in various ways to those who are still
bearing the burden and heat of the day, cheering them onward and inspiring
them to nobler deeds and persistent fortitude! The
journey began by air at Tampa, Florida, on June 30, and ended at the same place
on September 7. A smooth and uneventful flight was followed by a warm welcome
in London at the home of Brother and Sister Albert O. Hudson, who did so much
in arranging the British trip. Brother George Jennings very kindly put himself
and his automobile at our disposal and in many ways helped smooth our way from
place to place. We met with about 40 little groups of the Lord's people during
the trip and were impressed with the sincere greetings and genuine warm affection
in the Lord. We noted a large number of the older brethren had passed from this
scene since our last visit in 1957 and that their places had not been filled in
the ecclesia. There were younger brethren now reaching the years of discretion
and seeking ways and means of meeting their spiritual needs. The thought seemed
to be that youth meetings should be within the framework of the ecclesia and not
outside as competing meetings. This seemed to be a wise course as both old and
young brethren need each other in the continuing battle against the world, the
flesh and the devil. It
is common knowledge, of course, that the British brethren do not all see alike
on Scriptural subjects, but the impressive thing to a visitor is the
disposition to be kind to one another, treating these matters in the spirit of
Christian love. There were some who had positive convictions along certain
lines and yet the brotherly way in which these were discussed prevented a
cleavage in the spirit. There seemed general agreement that Eph. 1:11- the Divine
plan of the ages - was the proper basis for us all, and that our hope and that
of the world of mankind rested solidly on the Lord as the great Ransomer. But
when it came to matters of chronology and prophecy there appeared differences
of thought here and there. Such a condition has always prevailed throughout
the age, since neither chronology nor prophecy have been clearly revealed to
the saints. Only as we watch and pray do these fill in the larger picture. When
these or similar ideas are made an issue, then there is a separation amongst
brethren; yet God is gracious and if our hearts are right, then the operations
of Divine grace are realized in helps and encouragements to pursue the upward
way. Our
usefulness as a guest speaker was to emphasize the fact that the spiritual
life, like the physical life, develops according to fixed laws. As the natural
life must be nourished and fed according to the laws of nature in order to be
sustained, developed, and kept in health, so the spiritual life must be
nourished by the various means of grace and fed continually by the Word of the
Lord. In the exceeding great and precious promises we have abundant incentives
to strive daily to perfect holiness; but these must be held before the mind
that they be not crowded into the background by the cares of this life and the
deceitfulness of their pursuits. The pure in heart do see God by faith and with
the eyes of their understanding. They see him in his Word and his Plan, as he
graciously opens it up to their understanding as meat in due season they see
him in his mighty works in creation, redemption and salvation; they see him in
nature whose open book is ever eloquent in his praise. By faith they see him in
the secret closet communions, when there is no eye to see and no ear to hear
but God's, where the heart may freely unburden itself of its load and lay down
its cares and feel that unutterable sense of Divine sympathy and love which
only those can understand who have taken the Lord as their personal friend and
counselor. They see him, too, in his providence; for, having entered into
their closets and shut to the door and prayed to their Father in secret, the
open reward of his sure and safe leading always follows according to his promise. It
was a joy to see the Lord's spirit in the faces of the brethren from place to
place in spite of physical handicaps. Others with a cheerful countenance and
warm handshake hid the pain of the cross they were carrying. The younger
brethren sought fellowship, understanding and counsel to meet the flagrant materialism
and infidelity of our day. Perhaps we older brethren have not given this problem
as much careful attention as we should. We may have been too immersed in our
own hopes and aspirations, or perhaps adopted an easy solution: giving them
some kind of activity, some share in a work which we feel is the Lord's work.
The problem is not easily solved, particularly as time is running out on us
and our younger brethren are sometimes driven elsewhere for help in reaching
decisions in these confusing times. Modern day problems require much more than
mere abstract ideas. One approach might be for the ecclesia to recognize a
young people's meeting as a class meeting, with an acceptable elder as a
counselor, thus sharing together the things of God for purposes of Christian
development. So
many of the Lord's dear people today are crying out for help to meet the
problems of these modern days, that it is in this respect that the Herald
brethren find their ministry acceptable and profitable. The time will come
when we will see alike, but this will only be in the kingdom. Right now we need
to help one another "keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of them
are the issues of life." Throughout
our visit brethren told us of their efforts to acquaint friends and neighbors
that Christ's kingdom is the only remedy for human failure. At the same time
it was felt that the primary witness arose out of one's life as the principles
of the kingdom were translated into one's own experience. For the message of
the kingdom to have power, it must first be revealed in the individual life
and thus be an illustration to the seeker after God. One thing must be borne
in view today; there are far more people curious about the plan of salvation
than actually interested in and seeking for the solution of the ills that
afflict humanity. The
brethren of the Conway Hall Convention arranged for a baptismal service on the
Sunday morning and three of our younger brethren were immersed as a public
symbol of the consecration they had privately made unto the Lord. We are sure
this was well pleasing to him and it was our privilege to be asked to extend
the right hand of fellowship on behalf of the entire Convention to these dear
hearts and thus to rejoice with them in this new experience in their lives.
God bless and prosper them in his way! It was a nostalgic time, also, for the
older brethren as they recalled the similar event in their lives, now so many
years ago. This was a solemn funereal occasion, yet one in which all rejoiced
remembering the promise "If we be dead with him we shall also live with
him." - 2 Tim. 2:11. The
"Maranatha" convention proved to be a time of uplift and encouragement
for all who attended. The principal theme of the convention was related to the
soon coming of the Lord, although it would be fair to say that not all in
attendance subscribed to that view. The impressive thing was the enthusiasm in the hymn singing and the warm
Christian love apparent on all sides. About 165 were in attendance part of the
week and one could not but note the earnestness with which many friends looked
for their Lord. We are sure the Lord appreciated the heart attitude of these
dear brethren as they sought to hold one another up in faith, prayer and exhortation. A
few weeks later the Conway Hall London Convention (arranged and sponsored by
the Central London, Forest Gate, Welling and Windsor Classes) was held. At
this convention the largest attendance was about 250. This program was more
diversified and covered various aspects of the Christian's walk and
conversation. Again, however, we were pointed to world conditions as indicating
the nearness of the fulfillment of "our glorious hope," as well as
the hope for all mankind. There was the same brotherly love manifested at this
convention, as in the former one, the attendants being able to find the words
of truth and soberness suitable for their own encouragement and growth in
grace. We reminded the dear brethren at both conventions that they surely had
the prayers and good wishes of others in the United States and Canada, many of
whom would have liked to have been with us had the Lord's providence permitted.
We earnestly remembered all in prayer that the Lord would compensate their unwilling
absence by pouring out upon them a portion of our blessing. The
generous arrangements connected with these conventions deserve a word of
appreciation. The brethren of the organizing ecclesias recognized the fact that
many of the Lord's people came at considerable cost and concluded that no
reasonable expense should be spared to make their stay pleasant and spiritually
profitable. It is safe to say that the brethren doing the entertaining spent
pro rata as much or more time and money than did those who came from long
distances. However, all was so cheerfully and heartily done, "as unto the
Lord" that they evidently shared the great blessings of the conventions
also, proportionately. These
things would be true of the several other smaller conventions in England and,
like the disciples of old, at their close the happy hours spent in loving
discussion of various phases of the truth and hope of the Church, found our
hearts burning within us "while He talked with us" along the way.
The love of the brethren is a wonderful thing, giving a sense of being
"wanted" as a member of God's family and having the witness of the
spirit to this effect. Greetings
and Christian love from brethren in the United States and Canada, as well as
from individuals on the Herald staff, were received with deep satisfaction. A
return burden of love and prayers was sent by the British brethren, as well as
from Eire, together with the following texts: Phil. 1:9-11; Isa. 45:8; 1 Cor.
15:57-58; 1 Pet. 5:10-11. We pointed out that we rally not around a sectarian
standard, name or creed, but to the Lord. We who are united to Christ need no
human bonds to unite us. Our union with the head means union with all united to
him and love for all such in proportion as each has or attains the Lord's
spirit. Our
ministry concluded with a Home Gathering and Farewell service held at the
Forest Gate Church. The
past two months have been filled with the blessing and providential care of
the Lord. It would be a pleasure to mention by name the many brethren whose
kindness and hospitality has been so much appreciated. Let us think of one
another at the Throne of Grace, entwining our hearts and hopes in the Lord,
the altogether lovely one. -
A. L. Muir. The Question BoxBehold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, Question: What
is the lesson to be drawn from Isaiah 7:14? Answer: The
lesson, as I
see it, is in reference to the birth of Jesus -- a lesson concerning the great
Messiah; a lesson for all times and for all people. DUAL FULFILMENTSSome
prophecies, however, have more than one fulfillment. Isaiah 7:14 is one such.
Failure to recognize this constitutes one of the main difficulties confronting
the student of prophecy. One school of thought notes an early application, but
is not able to see a later (usually higher) fulfillment. This is particularly
true of orthodox Jews--and perhaps especially in their understanding of Isaiah
7:14. Another school of thought, Christian in concept, sees the higher
fulfillment, but is not always able to recognize any earlier application. In
the study of any prophecy having, or which appears to possess, a predictive*
character, it is important to obtain first an understanding of its immediate
application; in other words, it is necessary to ascertain what it meant to the
writer and those to whom he wrote. What was its meaning to them? Only after this question has been
satisfactorily answered are we in a position to properly grasp the later
application (or applications). --------------------------------- *
While all prophecies "tell forth," not all "foretell." Let
us look at a few illustrations of this. Consider, for example, Hosea 11:1.
There we read: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my
son out of Egypt." Quite obviously, this has reference to the infant
nation of Israel and its deliverance from the hand of Pharaoh. No orthodox Jew
could fail to recognize this. Yet Christians, under the guidance of the New
Testament, see that it has reference not only to the coming of Israel out of
Egypt, but also to the coming of Jesus out of Egypt centuries later. (Matt.
2:15, 19, 20.) Moreover, guided by the holy spirit, the passage is seen by
Christians to have yet another significance the coming of spiritual Israel
(the Gospel Age Church) out of that which Egypt typifies, namely, the world
(its aims, ambitions, associations, spirit). Again,
when David, in Psalm 22, wrote: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me?" he was without doubt writing concerning himself'. Most people,
unacquainted with the New Testament, could come to no other conclusion. Yet we know that the Lord was
overruling David's choice of words so as to make him speak prophetically of the
Messiah who was to come. - Matt. 27:46. Take
the words of Isaiah 61:1: "The
spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach
good tidings." Here Isaiah, of course, could have reference only to
himself and his ministry. But he was a prophet through whom God spoke. (2 Pet.
1:21.) Consequently his words were such that they could be predictive. Jesus
himself shows that they were, when in Luke 4:21, he applied them to himself and
his ministry: "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears."
While, therefore, we know that there was a measure of fulfillment in Isaiah and his ministry, it is not
difficult for us to recognize that only in Jesus are the words filled to the
full. JESUS BORN OF A VIRGINReturning
now to Isaiah 7:14: As already noted, this prophecy appears to have had a dual
fulfillment. It foretold an event shortly to occur, namely the birth of a son
to a woman who was then a virgin, and the birth of whose son, therefore, could
be known only to God; hence an event which could be recognized by King Ahaz as
a sign that God would be with him and with the nation. The words employed in
the prophecy, however, were such that they described also a future glorious
event, even the birth of Jesus of a woman who should appropriately be called the virgin, and who should remain
so at the time of his birth. If the name Immanuel (God with us) was
appropriately given to the boy in Isaiah's day, how much more fittingly might
it be given to Jesus! He filled the prediction full. At the time of his birth,
Mary, his mother, was a virgin, and he had no earthly father -- Joseph being
his foster father. As the angel Gabriel, in answer to Mary's question as to
how it could be that she should have a son in view of the fact that she was a
virgin, replied (RSV): "The holy spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will over shadow you; therefore the child to be born will be
called holy, the Son of God." - Luke 1:35. CORROBORATIVE SCRIPTUREWhen
we meditate for a moment on the virgin birth of Jesus, many corroborative
Scriptures come rushing to mind. We recall, for example, the Baptist's
testimony recorded in John 3:31: "He that cometh, from above is above all;
he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he that cometh
from heaven is above all." Here the Baptist is contrasting himself with
Jesus. How shall he find appropriate words l "After the flesh" he was
his cousin, yet it is evident that he regards Jesus as a being of another
order, as standing on quite a different platform from his own. He can find no
words strong enough to mark the difference between himself and Jesus. Jesus is
"from above" -- "from heaven." I am "of the
earth," and "speak of the earth." Jesus said of him that he was
a burning and a shining light; John, however, knew himself to be unworthy to
loose the Lord's shoe-latchet. While the Baptist is not discussing the
"virgin birth," his words certainly do not conflict with that
doctrine. Let
us look next at the disciples' words found in John 16:19, 30: "Lo, now
speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb [parable] .. . now we are sure
that thou camest forth from God." These
words were the response of the disciples to a very clear utterance of our
Lord, to which he had given expression in the immediately preceding verse:
"I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave
the world and go to the Father." Of what other member of the human race
could these words be truthfully spoken? But
"the time would fail me" to list all the Scriptures which come to
mind. Peter's reference to "a lamb without blemish and without spot"
(1 Pet. 1:19) -- surely this would require a virgin birth! Job's inquiry:
"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" (Job 14: 4)-a
question which had only a negative answer in his day. The description of our
Lord given by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that Jesus was
"holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners"; the Apostle
John's reference to Jesus as the "only begotten of the Father" (John
1:14); as the "Word of God" (John 1:1); the "Word made
flesh" (John 1:14); St. Paul telling us of one who "though being in
God's form yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like God" (Phil. 2:6);
who "was rich, but for our sakes became poor" (2 Cor. 8:9)-these all
mark Jesus as one apart, who though he took our human nature, and though he
was in all points tempted as we (his brethren) are tempted, was "yet
without sin. "Heb. 4:15). In
writing a biography, it is customary to trace a man's career "from the
cradle to the grave." In the case of Jesus one must go back further than
the cradle and continue on beyond the grave. One must go back "to the
beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14) to find the origin of the
"Only Begotten One," (John 1:14) the "Firstborn of all
creation." (Col. 1:15.) Only from that beginning may we trace the
circumstances whereby a clean thing was brought out of an unclean -- a root out
of a dry ground; a perfect man out of the imperfect, contaminate race. This was
accomplished by a miracle. The mighty Logos became flesh -- being born of a
virgin. WHY IS THE DOCTRINE OF THE VIRGIN BIRTH IMPORTANT?The
doctrine that Jesus was born of a virgin, rightly understood, is of great
importance to both the Church and the world. Had Jesus derived his life from an
earthly father, the quality of that life would have been no different from
ours. Ours was contaminated at the fountainhead, in Father Adam. So also
would have been the life of Jesus. It would have been a dying one, just as
ours. Receiving only such a life, he would have been on his way, willy-nilly,
to the grave -- just as we are. His death would not have been a voluntary one,
but one from which he could not escape. He would thus have been without power
to save us; he would not have had the wherewithal to save even himself. But
when, in the fullness of the time, God sent forth his Son made of a woman (Gal.
4:4), it was not a case of an earthly father passing on to him a spark of a
dying life. No, indeed! It was as Jesus himself declared: "I proceeded
forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." - John
8:42. An
inspired writer puts the matter succinctly: "Such an high priest became
us"; that is to say, such an high priest was appropriate to the
necessities of our case; namely, one who was "holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners" (Heb. 7:26). Only such an one as he could have
saved us. Praise God that he and his Father had the heart to do so. EMMANUEL - GOD WITH USThis
is the great message of the New Testament to the Church, and eventually to the
world: Emmanuel, God with us. God was with his ancient people, and spoke to
them often and unmistakably by the mouth of his Prophets. He was there in the
burning bush, in the Shekinah of the tabernacle, and in the pillar of cloud and
of fire, as well as in the Angel of Jehovah, whom many believe was the
pre-human Logos. But he came into new and closer relationship when he sent his
Son, and when he, the mighty Logos, became flesh. Jesus Christ was "God
made manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16); he was so true and adequate a
manifestation of God; so at one with the Father (in purpose and in spirit-not
in person) that he could truthfully say: "He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father." (John 14:9.) This was a fulfillment of the prophecy, "God
with us," indeed -- nay, it was the fulfillment, before which the
earlier one fades into relative insignificance. "God
is with us" in the life of the Church, for Jesus laid its foundations in
his blood, and became himself its cornerstone and the bishop of our souls.
"God is with us" in our personal experiences, for Christ Jesus is our
Brother and Savior, our refuge under the consciousness of sin, our strength
in temptations, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, with the Psalmist
we say "We will not fear," whatever may be our present lot, and
whatever may befall us. "God is with us" under our present burden,
and in the unknown events of the future. "God is with us" in life,
in death, in time, and in eternity. "Yea, though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me."
"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."Psalms 23, 46, 73. -
P. L. Read. Pastor Russell's Out-of-Print WritingsOn
page 31 of our March -April 1965 issue, we drew our readers' attention to a
survey then being made to determine the probable demand if the Watch Tower Reprints
for the years 1879-1916, or any of Brother Russell's other works, were made
available. It
is a pleasure to report that sufficient interest has been shown to warrant the
reprinting of the Bible Student's Manual (sometimes called the Berean
Comments). This Manual is being printed at the present time and will be
available about January 1, 1966. The books will be bound in maroon cloth and
cost $4 each. Leather bound, $10. Other special bindings are available upon
request. Order same direct from Chicago Bible Students
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